


but on good days i am charming as fuck

by candycolamorgan



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fake Dating, Modern Royalty AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-29
Updated: 2017-11-29
Packaged: 2019-02-08 06:17:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12858552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/candycolamorgan/pseuds/candycolamorgan
Summary: The first thing Klaus could register beyond his shock was how soft Caroline’s lips were.Granted, they were currently pressing into his with a decidedly punishing force, but soft nonetheless, and better than he’d imagined. Which, considering their current position, felt easier to admit he’d done on more than several occasions. Mainly whenever she was around.The second thing was the distant sound of hundreds of cameras clicking furiously in their direction from the street below.





	1. Chapter 1

When Rebekah had invited her on this extravagant European holiday to celebrate their graduation, Caroline was under the distinct impression that they’d be lounging on private beaches and sipping on fruity drinks while liveried footmen served them pastries imported from the finest patisseries in Paris.

You know, the simple things you might expect when your best friend happened to be a member of one of the most preeminent royal families in the world.

That naïve illusion had lasted all of ten minutes after arriving at the palace before she’d been given a rude awakening as to what she was really in for. If she’d had any inkling that Bekah was trying to finagle herself a companion while tagging along on some publicity tour for one of her older brothers, Caroline would have never even dusted off her good luggage in the first place.

Considering she and Klaus had never really gotten along in the first place for some reason, Rebekah had found herself making a great deal of promises until Caroline finally caved in. Not the least of which was taking a break from the parade of tedious state dinners and taking Caroline out for a real night on the town in the very heart of Prague.

The evening had every making to be a much welcome respite from the predictable monotony her days had become, but _of course_ Klaus would ruin it.

If not with his mere presence, then with his capricious temper that had them embroiled in this latest predicament.

He pulled her by the elbow into a partially shielded enclave and she felt her hackles rise at being handled. She’d spent the last three weeks being ushered and steered around and she was _not_ going to tolerate it from him as well.

“Stop leading me around like some dog on a leash or I swear to _god_ —”

“Oh, I can’t wait to hear this,” he interrupted condescendingly and Caroline was two seconds away from punching him in the face before she remembered such an act would definitely qualify as some kind of serious breach of international law. Taking advantage of her shocked silence, he dropped his hand from her and leaned in to whisper urgently, “Now shall we focus on the problem at hand, or would you like to waste more time with useless threats?”

As much as it galled her to admit, he was right. Rebekah needed them right now, and their squabbling would have to be tabled for a later time. She let out an aggravated sigh.

“Fine. What are we supposed to do, then? They’re swarming all the exits and I don’t exactly think there’s a discreet way to carry her out when she’s like this.” Klaus frowned as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration, and Caroline had the strangest urge to push his away and replace it with her own.

Shaking off that train of thought, she crossed her arms and began to regret her last couple of drinks. She’d clearly had one too many if she was seriously considering what it would feel like to—

“Are you even listening?” he snapped, and her focus was abruptly brought back to the matter at hand.

“Maybe I would if I heard anything worth listening to,” she responded waspishly, sounding childish even to herself.

“We need to distract them. Give them something else to chew on.”

Finally, something they could agree on.

“Okay, that might actually work.” She gave him an expectant look, confused when she saw it reflected back at her. “What?”

“Well, what are you planning to do?”

“Me?!” she hissed in outrage, her arms falling to her sides as her hands balled into fists. “I thought we were talking about you!”

“And why would you assume that? Of the two of us, only one can’t afford to be seen doing something untoward and it’s certainly not the one who was once arrested for _indecent exposure_.”

Caroline’s mouth fell open.

“I knew it! I _knew_ you were the one poking around in my records, you lying _assho—!_ ”

“Did you really expect me to let my sister keep company with someone I didn’t know every last detail about?” he asked angrily, overriding the beginnings of her ranting. “That I would let some wayward American girl weasel her way into a friendship with my sister, _the princess,_ without doing everything within my power to mitigate any risks?”

Her gut twisted at his words, the understanding of his overprotectiveness warring with her offended pride.

“Well fat lot of good it did you since it’s not _my_ fault she got pissed drunk with an army of paparazzi waiting outside!”

“Isn’t it?”

The snide accusation caught her off guard more than anything else that night. How _dare_ he blame this on her when it was his heated argument with Stefan that had precipitated this entire situation?

“ _Seriously?_ You’re the one who had his _supposed_ friend thrown out of a club just because you can’t handle his little crush!”

Something dark flashed in his eyes, and he stepped closer, crowding her until she felt the wall behind her back.

“You think I’m jealous of that sleazy bastard?” he said quietly, his voice as uneven as his breathing. “That I care if you bat your eyelashes at him and look for any reason to touch his arm?”

“Klaus, I—”

She meant to correct him, to tell him that she was referring to Stefan’s feelings for _Rebekah_ , but there was something about the way he was looking at her that made her pause. Was he really so idiotic as to misconstrue her interactions with the Italian count as flirtatious? That he didn’t understand his sister was acting out tonight because she thought he disapproved of their attachment?

A deep flush started to creep up the back of her neck, and she realized the dangerous feeling skirting her good sense was curiosity.

It was wrong to let him think for even a moment that she was interested in the man who’d captured Bekah’s interest, but _god help her_ — there was a part of her that wanted to let it play out. To know why he seemed so perturbed by it… if maybe she wasn’t the only one whose heart was pounding at their current proximity.

“Ever since I met you, you’ve been nothing but a constant pain in the arse,” he bit out, frustrated. “You’re loud, annoying, unmanageable—all of which I have endured at my family’s behest up until now and I won’t—”

“Won’t _what_?” she interjected, knocking him off kilter enough to break his train of thought. Entitled ass that he was, being cut off wasn’t exactly a familiar experience. It wasn’t the first time the distinct pleasure to enlighten him had fallen to her, and if she had any say, it wouldn’t be the last.

They stared at each other in stubborn silence, both unwilling to acknowledge the impossible question that simmered hotly between them and too unsure of the answer they wanted.

They were saved the trouble of breaking their standoff when Klaus’ phone started to buzz loudly in his pocket.

“Yes?” he answered curtly to whoever was on the other end. She noticed the furrowing of his brow and knew that couldn’t mean anything good. “Can’t you hold off for twenty minutes?” he asked in a tone that clearly expected one answer, letting out an impatient growl when he didn’t get it. “Five then,” he gritted out, “and that’s _not_ a request.”

He hung up abruptly and turned his glare onto Caroline.

“Alaric says she’s getting worse, and now thanks to your hesitancy we only have five minutes until he drags her outside to the car straight into their clutches. So unless you can get out on that balcony and give them some kind of bloody good show, _‘Puking Princess Makes a Pretty Picture’_ would be my guess for tomorrow’s headline on every rag from here all the way to your precious little Mystic Falls.”

“You think I can’t?” she asked in disbelief, his tone implying otherwise.

“Make a spectacle of yourself? Undoubtedly. Do it intentionally for the sake of someone else? Less certain.”

Caroline felt herself reaching that boiling point Klaus seemed so uniquely adept at pushing her to—the one where the edges of her vision seemed tinged with red and she felt an unholy urge to wipe that infuriating smirk off his face by whatever means necessary. Which was of course exactly what she planned to do.

“You think you know everything about me, but you obviously missed two crucial parts. The first being that I would do _anything_ to help Bekah.”

“And the second?” he prompted with a practiced boredom that belied the curiosity she could see in his eyes. One she didn’t disappoint when she suddenly grabbed the lapels of his coat in a tight grip and pushed him towards the French doors that led out to the balcony.

“If I’m headed for a fall, I _never_ go down alone.”

Any questions as to what she meant by that were promptly silenced when she crushed her mouth against his in a rough kiss as they stumbled outside into the warm night.

 

* * *

 

The first thing Klaus could register beyond his shock was how soft Caroline’s lips were.

Granted, they were currently pressing into his with a decidedly punishing force, but soft nonetheless, and better than he’d imagined. Which, considering their current position, felt easier to admit he’d done on more than several occasions. Mainly whenever she was around.

The second thing was the distant sound of hundreds of cameras clicking furiously in their direction from the street below.

He knew exactly what she was doing, creating a scene big enough to distract the bloodthirsty mob from Bekah’s less than dignified getaway out the back, but her choice to drag him down with her in this manner had been a surprising twist. And not at all unwelcome when he felt her hands wander up his chest until they were draped loosely around his neck.

Klaus had to forcibly hold himself back from leaning in to resume the kiss when she pulled away slightly, breathing hard as she angled her hair in a way that shielded them from prying eyes. He noted with some satisfaction that the color of her cheeks seemed heightened, and he wondered if it was due to the way his thumb had started absently stroking the curve of her waist where his hands had fallen.

“Is it impossible for you to at least make this _look_ good?” she growled at him exasperatedly, unimpressed when he raised his eyebrows.

“My apologies, sweetheart,” he replied with a smirk that was anything but apologetic. “Perhaps if you’d have given me a bit of warning I would have performed more to your high expectations.” She let out an unladylike snort at that.

“I don’t have any ‘high expectations’ concerning you in any way,” she pointed out sternly, letting her fingers dig into the back of his neck meaningfully. “But they’ve been making vulgar innuendos and throwing us together since day one, so if these pictures are gonna haunt me for the rest of my life, they better be fucking _epic_. Got it?”

He smiled, understanding perfectly. “Yes, ma’am.”

She narrowed her eyes warily at his glib answer, but tilted her chin up anyways.

“ _Good_.”

This time Klaus was prepared when she leaned in and immediately prevented her attempts to control the kiss by taking the side of her face in his hand to hold her still. Instead of the forceful crush from before, he moved slowly, deepening the press of their mouths rather than rushing it.

When he bit down on her lower lip, he felt her sharp gasp more than heard it. The way her chest arched into him instinctively while her fingers curled further into his hair was more telling of her response than she probably cared to admit.

“This doesn’t mean anything,” she insisted after a few minutes through panting breaths, sliding her leg over his hip in an altogether distracting way. Klaus could barely grunt out his agreement before he moved on to her neck, tracing every inch he could reach with his lips and tongue, hunting for all the spots that made her shiver.

“We’re only doing this until Bekah can get away,” she breathed heavily into his ear, rolling her hips up into his when he dragged his teeth over her already throbbing pulse. He wondered if he should mention that his sister was probably halfway back to their hotel by now if Alaric had even bothered to comply with his order. He paused, leaning back just enough to meet her gaze.

They both knew that every second they continued to feed the paparazzi a peek into their supposed tryst would be all sorts of hell to deal with later, but Klaus found himself caring less and less about the consequences the longer Caroline was in his arms.

“We should probably give them a good head start, though,” he began cautiously, trying to gauge her reaction. “Just to be safe.”

He thought he saw a flash of a mischievous grin before she was pulling him back down, expression and tone purely serious.

“Just to be safe,” she agreed.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Caroline hoped with every fiber of her being that the knocking at her door was room service.

Because honestly, if she was going to be faced with anything else this early in the morning she would _not_ be held responsible for her actions. She groaned tiredly as she reached to put on one of the hotel robes, letting out a groggy stream of curses as she stumbled slightly over her carelessly strewn heels from last night.

The memories of which suddenly pierced through her hazy brain with bursts of clarity.

Rebekah. Drunk. Paparazzi. Balcony. _Klaus._

Immediately awake and aware of what a mess she must look like, she rushed over to the mirror to try and tame the tangled curls, cleaning up any obvious smudges of eyeliner as the knocking on the door became louder. Stuffing as much of her clothes and scattered belongings into the closet as she made her way to the door, she wondered who it might be. A tiny, but insistent part of her almost hoping it would be Klaus.

He’d been infuriatingly silent on the ride home after their little… _display,_ and she’d had to endure the short trip back to their hotel eaten up with increasing anxiety. The smallest assurance or even a sarcastic comment about the whole thing would have gone a long way to ease her nerves, but instead she’d gotten a gaping maw of silence that only seemed to fill with the panicky questions she was too afraid to ask.

Had they caused an even bigger scandal than the one they were trying to avoid in the first place? Was he furious with her for _literally_ dragging him into it? Considering he’d stared out the window while his fist clenched the whole way back, it certainly seemed so.

There was one thought that had kept her up hours later in bed, though. One that she’d been most terrified of speaking aloud.

_Had he maybe felt something in the midst of all that pretending?_

Against her better judgment, she couldn’t help but think that there was a moment somewhere between her biting remarks and the way his hands had trailed down her spine that was _genuine_.

 _No_ , she berated herself firmly. It’d been only for show, nothing else. He was a _prince_ , for god’s sake. Princes did not date their little sisters’ university friends.

And yet with that being said, she couldn’t resist checking her hair one last time before opening the door.

“Good morning, Caroline.”

She tried to play down the disappointment, but judging from the knowing look on the other man’s face, she wasn’t very successful.

“Oh, hey Alaric.”

“I apologize for the hour, but Her Majesty has requested an audience with you.” Caroline rolled her eyes heavenward. After all they’d done for her last night she was being _summoned_ at this ungodly hour to chat?

“If Rebekah wants to talk about what happened last night she can meet me downstairs for breakfast like she always does,” she replied with no small amount of annoyance. “Because if she doesn’t at least give me two more—”

“I was referring to The Queen, actually.”

Well that shut her up.

“The Queen?” she repeated dumbly, hardly able to process what this could mean. Oh god, what had she done? “She’s _here?_ " she asked, voice turning comically high with her rising panic.

“Not quite,” Alaric said gently in an attempt to calm her. “Just a phone call, I believe.” Caroline sagged against the doorframe with obvious relief.

“ _Oh_. Okay, that’s not too bad, then.” Noticing the hesitant look on his face, she posed timidly, “Isn’t it?” When he didn’t reply aside from a pitying expression, Caroline knew then it was serious. “Alright, give me ten minutes.”

“Five would be better,” he countered with a vaguely apologetic look.

_Oh god, she was in so much trouble._

 

* * *

 

Klaus waited impatiently for his mother to finally appear on the screen before him, her missive that she had urgent business to discuss undermined somewhat by her late arrival. Clearly, it wasn’t that important if he’d been staring at a live video feed of her unoccupied desk for the past ten minutes. 

Pouring himself another cup of tea in the meantime, his thoughts wandered to what his mother undoubtedly wanted to talk about.

Last night.

As much as he’d gone through every moment in his mind since it happened, he still didn’t have an explanation.

The excuse of it being all a blur would be a lie. He hadn’t had much to drink, and rather than being even the slightest bit fuzzy, those minutes out on the balcony played on a vivid loop in his memory. His mind latched onto the little things like the sensation of her hair running through his fingers, or how warm her neck had been under his lips despite the evening chill. Details he would’ve considered insignificant before were now hoarded with a level of possessive greed usually reserved for stories of dragons and their mountains of treasure. 

It wasn’t such a far-fetched comparison when Klaus felt the rising heat in his blood when he remembered how her body had followed his with every shift and sway. He imagined it would be the same in bed, her naked skin pressed all along his, never allowing any distance between them.

Leaning his head back onto the cushioned headrest, he allowed himself a moment to shut his eyes and let the thought linger and grow, his imagination coming up with the most satisfying ways to make her moan directly into his mouth _and—_

The firm knocks preceding the creak of the door opening snapped him abruptly out of his fantasy.

Klaus straightened in his seat, but quickly shot to his feet when he saw that familiar flash of blonde hair next to Alaric’s shoulder.

“Caroline,” he said dumbly, his mind reeling with the sudden effort to reconcile the thoughts he’d just been having of kissing the bare curve of her back with seeing her stand there in an elegant, if modest, dress. Had she been looking for him this morning? Been waiting in the breakfast room? Did she want to talk? He glanced at the monitor, making sure it was still empty before stepping forward.

“Is there something you needed?” he asked carefully, aware that although Alaric was on his phone, he was still well within earshot.

Clearing her throat nervously, she replied with a hesitancy he’d never seen from her before. It made him want to pull her away somewhere private where there was no danger of being overheard. “Actually, I’m supposed to be…”

“I’ll be waiting outside,” Alaric interrupted, turning back to his phone before stepping out into the hallway and shutting the door behind him. Alone for the moment, Klaus finally took advantage of the opportunity to speak freely.

“I wanted to talk to you first thing this morning,” he began remorsefully, “but I have to—”

“Discuss last night with you mother?” she finished for him.

He frowned. “Yes…” he dragged out as slowly as possible, wondering when he’d become so transparent.

“I got the summons too,” she explained, her lips twisting slightly into a grimace. When she saw that his expression mirrored hers, she let out a tense breath. “It’s that bad, huh?”

“Kol’s done worse,” he offered instead of answering, relieved when that got a chuckle from her, however reluctant.

“Whatever happens, I just wanted to say I’m sorry,” she began in a rush. “I’ll tell them it was my idea and that you—”

“—am an adult capable of making my own decisions.” He shook his head with a smile. “You don’t have to protect me, sweetheart. If they’re looking for someone to blame, I’m hardly going to throw you to the wolves.”

She gave him an assessing look, her eyebrow rising in exaggerated skepticism. “Wouldn’t you? You’ve never struck me as the chivalrous type.”

Any other time he might have agreed with her just to see how much he could inflate her already unfavorable impression of him, but the desire to needle her by proving her wrong on this particular point won out. 

“Or maybe you’ve developed an unfair perspective of me,” he countered, stepping closer to her until she was forced to tilt her head a little to meet his eye. “On good days I can be quite charming.” She let out a disbelieving laugh.

“I look forward to witnessing that one day. I’m sure it would be a sight to behold. Like a solar eclipse.”

“Devastating and worth the wait?”

“Eerie and liable to blind me if I stare too long,” she shot back.

The temptation to point out that she hadn’t minded his _charms_ last night was too irresistible, and he was about to say so when the sound of muffled voices on the other side of the monitor cut him off.

They shared an apprehensive look, and impulsively he reached for her arm. The startled look she gave him made him think that maybe she wasn’t exaggerating her impression of him if she seemed so taken aback at the simple gesture of solidarity.

“It’ll be fine,” he said firmly, knowing in that moment that he’d do everything in his power to make it so. Her expression softened a little at his reassurance, and she nodded once, letting him pull out the chair closest to his for her.

The explanation was simple and straightforward. They’d be fine.

So why did the prospect of Caroline being present as he detailed what exactly transpired make him start to sweat?

 

* * *

 

Although he’d promised everything would be okay, Caroline couldn’t help but notice the way Klaus was shifting somewhat restlessly as they waited for Esther to finish speaking with one of her advisors off screen. As the seconds ticked by, her nerves morphed into something close to irritation; a prickling sense of resentment that started to unfurl in her gut.

She’d exposed herself to gossip and ridicule for the sake of protecting _Rebekah_. So why was she the one being called in like a kid to the principal’s office? If they were being honest, no one in the room could claim any authority over her, and it was perfectly within her rights to walk out. England wasn’t her country, and Esther certainly wasn’t her mother.

The growing realization that she didn’t owe any of these people anything was a short-lived one when Esther finally took her seat, letting out a deep sigh when a stack of newspapers were placed in front of her.

Caroline could only imagine the embarrassing headlines they’d come up with, accompanied by all the renewed innuendos and vulgar speculations she and Klaus had seemingly confirmed.

Alright, so maybe she did owe a _little_ explanation.

Esther murmured to her aide as she passed him something she’d signed, sorting methodically through a few newspapers before finally facing them. The smile she gave them was perfectly regal, which was to say Caroline couldn’t decipher it at all. She looked just as capable of offering her tea or reaching through the monitor to strangle her.

“Klaus. Caroline,” she said by way of greeting. “I think we all know why I’ve called this meeting, but before we get into how we’re going to deal with the situation, is there anything either of you want to tell me?” 

Caroline stole a glance at Klaus, and he rushed to speak before she could follow through on her plan to incriminate herself.

“To be frank, mother, Rebekah got herself into a sensitive predicament and Caroline was kind enough to help me divert attention away from it. We owe her our gratitude, and I’m more than prepared to accept whatever consequences there may be.”

Esther pinned both of them with a long, considering look that could make even the most hardened criminal crack under pressure. Caroline wondered if it was a skill inherent in a reigning monarch, or a mother of three boys. Probably both.

Finally unfolding her hands, she spoke in a tone that could almost pass for friendly. “Well then, I offer my thanks, Caroline. You have indeed been…” she glanced down to the newspapers laid across her desk. “ _Very_ kind to my children.” 

Feeling a flush work up her neck, she struggled to come up with an appropriate response. _It was my pleasure_ didn’t seem like the right phrasing, and _Anytime!_ sounded even worse.

“Glad to be of help,” she finally managed to reply a bit awkwardly, hyper aware of Klaus sitting next to her and how his hand on the armrest was only a few inches from hers.

She’d been surprised when he reached out to comfort her earlier. It was obvious that he hadn’t meant much by it, but something had re-wired in her brain since last night, and she felt her hand twitch with the effort not to reach out to him now.

“Caroline,” Esther began, her tone all business, “it is incumbent upon me to admit that we haven’t had much chance to become acquainted before now. Tell me, what was it you studied at university?” Of all the questions she’d been preparing for, an innocuous one about her life wasn’t one of them. 

“Oh. Well, my focus was—”

The Queen’s gaze suddenly zeroed in on Klaus with an alarming speed that she paused mid sentence with surprise.

“ _Niklaus_ ,” she interjected in a shocked tone, “Have you not offered our guest any tea?” Caroline turned just in time to see the slow reddening of his ears, and she had to physically stop herself from letting out a delighted laugh. There weren’t many things she could say were adorable about Klaus, but blushing at his mother’s scolding? That was definitely one of them.

“My apologies, Caroline. May I pour you a cup?”

Trying and failing to hold back a smirk as she nodded, Caroline let herself enjoy the sight of him doing the menial task for her. “Cream, no sugar,” she added, internally cringing at the prospect of drinking something without even a hint of sweetness. The pains of appearing to be more like these people who seemed to thrive on depriving themselves of any comforts would only have to be taken for the duration of this meeting. Later she’d buy something fit to rot her teeth as a reward.

She saw Klaus giving her an odd look, and when she raised a questioning brow in response, he just shook his head slightly with a rueful grin before dropping three sugar cubes into her cup.

Something strange fluttered in the pit of her stomach, churning into something so achingly sweet that when he passed her the cup and saucer, she let her fingers linger against his like a teenager with a silly crush.

After her morning freak out, Caroline had come down with a very firm plan to treat what happened out on that balcony as the aberration it was. A plan that seemed easy enough at first, but was slowly collapsing the longer she spent in this room. Where was the Klaus that she’d bickered with over breakfast these past few weeks? Who’d spoken fluent French and German at the slightest opportunity in the middle conversation just to annoy her? She could’ve really used that version of him now when she was determined to not be interested.

Esther drew her back into the questions about her time at university, and as Caroline tried her best to answer what was starting to feel like an interview, it didn’t escape her notice that Klaus busied himself with picking out the sweeter offerings of the tea tray on a small plate for her.

Being a nice person was hardly a quality she found herself falling all over someone for, but seeing it from him was nothing short of a revelation and she couldn’t help the amazement that flooded through her. Either this was just an act for his mother, or she was seeing a side to him she hadn’t thought existed.

Caroline was just finding her rhythm balancing his mother’s grilling with turning that question around in her mind when she was thrown for a loop yet again.

“Now that the pleasantries are done,” Esther began, “I’d like to discuss how we’ll be dealing with this.” Klaus looked as surprised as she felt. 

“Surely that’s a conversation Caroline can forgo, mother. I’m perfectly capable of handling the matter on my own.” Esther gave him a smile just short of condescending. As if she were inwardly laughing at these moments before inflicting some kind of unknown punishment.

“Normally I would agree with you, Niklaus, but this course of action will require both your participation.” Caroline’s mind spun at the word _participation_. Images of some humiliating type of joint press statement informing the public that what happened was nothing more than a stunt induced by alcohol and her own pathetically crumbling resistance to Klaus made her swallow thickly. Call her crazy, but if Klaus was willing to pretend nothing meaningful had happened, was it so unreasonable to expect the perks of that? Namely, never speaking of it again?

He pressed further, clearly not afflicted with the same panicked immobility Caroline was suffering from at the moment. “Meaning what, exactly?”

“Meaning,” Esther began imperiously, “that you’ve accomplished what even Kol has not.” The severity of such a comparison to his reckless younger brother was a low blow, and Caroline knew nothing following that statement could be good. “Which is to sink so low as to be universally condemned by every corner of the empire,” she finished disapprovingly. 

Klaus’s eyes widened with disbelief, obviously unable to process that level of accusation. 

“What? One drunken kiss and I’m automatically lumped in with _Kol?_ That’s absurd!” Although Caroline would’ve described the kiss that way on paper if pressed, to hear him characterize it like that out loud made her stiffen. She took another sip of her tea, hoping to disguise the offended grimace. Neither of them had been _that_ drunk, she stewed inwardly. 

“Is it?” The Queen’s clipped tone brooked no further protests from him. “Shall we go through the morning papers since you obviously don’t realize how badly you’ve miscalculated?”

She held up one newspaper after another, reading the unflattering headlines and the stinging barbs and comments condemning Klaus for various different reasons. Caroline’s stomach sank when she realized it wasn’t just tabloids criticizing his behavior but well-respected journalists using him and the situation to further discussions on the relevancy of the royal family as a whole. Despite the differing angles, it was clear to both of them that a pattern was emerging, painting Klaus as the entitled royal taking advantage of his sister’s friend in what amounted to an outcry of displeasure at behavior beneath someone of his royal pedigree and military rank.

She had expected a response to their display, but the fact that so many were seemingly outraged on her behalf and in her defense when she’d been the real instigator was enough to drown her in guilt. She’d been so preoccupied with how she’d take the brunt of the blame that she hadn’t spared a thought to the possibility of what they’d say about Klaus.

“I’m sorry,” she said into the tense silence after Esther had finished. “It was all my fault, and obviously I wasn’t thinking how this could’ve played out so badly.” Klaus didn’t immediately deny it, and Caroline swallowed past the lump that formed in her throat. “You said there was something I could do?” She directed to Esther, eager to make amends and mitigate as much of the damage as possible. “I’ll do anything you think will help.” Unless it was a trick of the light, Caroline could swear she saw The Queen’s expression soften for a split second.

“That’s good to hear, Caroline, since what I’m proposing will take quite a bit of effort from both of you.” She swallowed nervously and nodded, willing to accept the consequences. It’d been her boneheaded idea that got them into this, so it was only fair she do her part in getting them out of it.

When she thought about how those searing handful of moments were going to cost her a good deal more than what she’d originally expected, Caroline still couldn’t say with any conviction that she regretted it.

Esther gave them both a serene smile, belying the absolute bombshell she laid on them next.

“Congratulations, then. You and my son are now in a committed relationship.”

 

* * *

 

Klaus was convinced he must have been higher than a jackdaw as he tried to process what he thought his mother said. Judging by the matching look of horror on Caroline’s face, apparently he wasn’t the only one to have heard it.

“I’m sorry, _what_?”

Esther ignored his outburst, choosing instead to address Caroline. “You’ve indicated that you’d be willing to do everything in your power to rectify the situation, did you not?”

The calm and collected facade she’d been holding together this whole time started to crack in the face of his mother’s expectant look.

“Yes,” she she replied slowly, obviously regretting her promise in light of what was being asked of her. “But I thought—”

“Niklaus has been hanged in the court of public opinion over this little stunt and the only sensible solution to stop the wagging tongues is to nullify the source of their condemnation,” his mother interrupted before Caroline could state any reservations. “A discreet press release explaining that what they witnessed was an ill-advised, but temporary lapse of decorum between a committed couple rather than the licentious advances of a spoiled entitled prince will go a long way in putting things to right.”

The more it started to sound like a logical solution in his mind, the more Klaus felt himself leaning toward something close to outright alarm.

“Mother, this is ridiculous not to mention archaic. Do you really expect us to go along with such a charade?” His words provoked the first signs of outward irritation in his mother’s expression.

“If the idea of honorably courting someone is more unpalatable than pretending to have some torrid rendezvous with them, then maybe I _should_ let the papers tear you to pieces.” The seriousness of her tone led him to believe she would actually carry out the threat, and he stilled the nervous tapping of his fingers against his thigh.

“Not at all,” he managed to say with brittle politeness. “I’m merely thinking of Miss Forbes and the unnecessary trouble this will cause her.”

“You both made certain there would be trouble when you set out on this well-intentioned but clumsy attempt at misdirection,” she pointed out inexorably. “The only question now is if we’re going to allow the gutter rags to control the narrative or instead choose to come out ahead of this.” She turned her shrewd gaze towards Caroline, and the challenge, however diplomatically phrased, was clear to everyone present. He groaned inwardly, knowing how incapable she was of dismissing a challenge. It wasn’t sound reasoning on her part, but he knew she’d rather take on something than admit she’d been backed into a corner. He’d purposefully done it himself countless enough times to predict what she said next. 

“I’ll do it.”

Esther looked satisfied whereas Klaus felt very close to squirming in his seat. 

“Mother,” he warned, “this isn’t going to fool anyo—”

“Nonsense,” she interrupted. “Of course it will. No one outside of this room will be aware of the fact that all is not as it seems, and Caroline has demonstrated she at least knows how to hold a teacup properly. Everything else can be managed or taught.” He stole a sideways glance and had to hold back a laugh at her expression. It was obvious she was caught between flattered and offended by the somewhat backhanded faith in her ability to mix with the rarefied upper crust of society, and at the moment she was gaping like a hooked fish. She caught his eye and shut her mouth quickly when she saw him trying and failing to hold back a grin.

Schooling her features into something resembling composed, she tried to sound perfectly businesslike when she asked, “How long do you expect us to do this?”

A crucial detail he was wondering about as well. One that was obviously insignificant to his mother as she shuffled a few papers on her desk, answering somewhat distractedly. “Considering a statement will be released that the two of you have been together in secret for awhile now, an amicable parting of ways would most likely sit well at the end of summer.”

Bloody hell. _Three months?_ There was no way she was going to agree to that, and yet Klaus knew his mother wouldn’t have suggested that arbitrary amount of time if she hadn’t already deemed it necessary. Caroline was giving him a strange look, and he felt his shoulders tense up with all the uncertainty between them. He wanted nothing more in that moment than to talk to her alone, get a sense of what she truly thought about this. Did her embarrassment over such a ridiculous charade outweigh her guilt in the part she’d played in helping to eviscerate his reputation? 

He wouldn’t force her into anything she didn’t want to do, but he was afraid her sense of obligation and his mother’s manipulation would prevail anyways. And despite the confusing mass of conflicting personal feelings he had towards her, something in his gut wanted her to say yes, to stay with him of her own volition a little bit longer.

After that, they wouldn’t have to see each other ever again.

The prospect didn’t warm him like it would’ve two days ago, and he clenched his jaw against the fierce rejection of the idea.

“I have an internship at the Tate Museum that starts soon,” Caroline admitted. “I’m not sure if I’ll have the time to do all this.”

“We’ll take care of that,” Esther said decisively. “I’ll make a call to the director. I’m sure they’d be happy to hold the position open for you until you’re ready to start.” If it were anyone else speaking, he would’ve laughed outright at the outrageous assumption. Considering how hard it’d probably been for her to land such a highly coveted entry level job, he doubted such a prestigious institution was accustomed to waiting for anyone or anything.

And yet, his mother’s considerable influence aside, it wasn’t hard for him to imagine them making an exception for Caroline Forbes. A sentiment he was quickly growing accustomed to.  

With the reasons against this insane idea dwindling, Klaus felt a peculiar sense of some greater inevitability at hand. Caving in to the temptation to see where this all would leave, he gave a decisive nod.

“If Caroline agrees to it, then so will I.”

“Very good. Miss Forbes?”

Caroline met his gaze, answering his mother without taking her eyes off him.

“Agreed.”

Although they were agreeing to uphold only the illusion of a relationship, Klaus’ body apparently didn’t realize the difference when the unmistakable thrill of victory ran down his spine. The only thing that stopped him from reaching out and sealing this deal in a wholly inappropriate way was the inconvenient presence of his mother.

“Marvelous,” she said with all the lack of surprise only a queen used to having her way unequivocally heeded would. “Now that it’s all settled I’ll be sending over some things and have a statement prepared for this afternoon.” She looked as if she was about to dismiss them in a hurry, but she paused and gave them a wry smile. “I trust you’ll do your utmost to behave yourselves tonight.”

With that last cryptic message, the screen when blank, leaving the two of them in silence.

Klaus wasn’t sure how long they were sitting there before Caroline slouched back into her chair and let out a curse.

“ _Shit_. What did I just do?”

He let out a low laugh. “I’m not entirely sure, but in light of our newly minted status, your reaction is hardly flattering, sweetheart.” Her derisive snort told him what she thought of his ego being so fragile, and she groaned tiredly as she rubbed her temple.

“What did she mean about behaving tonight?”

It took him a while to realize what she was asking, the context of her question getting lost somewhere between what she meant and where his mind had wandered when he heard that low sound from her throat.

Swallowing past his suddenly dry throat, he forced a few coughs in an attempt to hide his reaction.

“I believe she meant the dinner with the ambassador and the opera later this evening.” A little crease in her brow appeared at his words, and it made him want to lean over and smooth it away.

“I wasn’t planning on going to that,” she said with a frown. “I don’t have anything to wear.” It was on the tip of his tongue to offer to help her find something when she added as an afterthought, “And I don’t think I was invited.” 

Klaus laughed at the order of her priorities, the burst of genuine amusement making him realize how long it had been since he’d felt anything remotely similar. He wasn’t sure why their kiss had twisted his general annoyance with her into something bright and warm, but he was done fighting it. He might as well enjoy it while it lasted.

“Now that we’re _together_ ,” he began airily, grinning when she scowled at his emphasis of the word, “you’ll have to come with me to all these sorts of things.” She appeared nonplussed, and he continued, determined to get a little rise out of her. “You’ll have to endure all the same dull conversations I do and act utterly infatuated with me. Shouldn’t be too hard for you, hmm?”

He wasn’t sure what it said about him that his pulse quickened at the slitted glare she threw him.

“Just because I agreed to help you doesn’t mean there’s going to be anymore—”

“Anymore _what?_ ”

She faltered a little at his abrupt interruption, her eyes falling helplessly down to his lips. They both knew what she’d meant to say, and the fact that she couldn’t bring herself to say it now made the air thick with awareness.

He was so distracted by it, in fact, that he hardly heard the commotion somewhere out in the hall until the door flew open.

_“What the hell, Nik!”_


End file.
